Complete Ranking of All 29 MLS Academies + MLS NEXT vs ECNL: The Ultimate Guide (2026)

Introduction: Understanding the MLS Academy System

The MLS academy system is the professional pathway in American soccer. Every MLS club operates an academy focused on developing players for professional soccer—either within MLS or by selling talented players to international clubs for transfer fees.

Understanding the complete U.S. youth soccer structure helps you see where MLS academies fit in the pyramid. They sit at the apex—the highest level of youth development available domestically.

What Makes MLS Academies Different?

Unlike club soccer where families pay thousands annually, MLS academies are fully funded by the clubs. There are no participation fees. Instead, families commit to:

• Year-round training (no multi-sport flexibility)
• Travel for away games (families cover travel costs)
• Relocation (some families move to be near the academy)
• Academic flexibility (online school or academy partnerships common)
• Understanding that the club controls the player's development and future

MLS academies function like professional clubs' youth systems worldwide. The goal isn't recreational development—it's identifying and producing professional players.

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Ranking Methodology: How We Evaluated All 29 MLS Academies

This ranking considers six key factors:

Factor	Why It Matters
1. Homegrown Signings	How many academy players have signed MLS contracts? This is the ultimate measure of success.
2. International Transfers	Have academy players been sold to European clubs? Shows highest level of development.
3. MLS NEXT Pro Integration	Does the club have MLS NEXT Pro team? Provides clear pathway for U19-U23 players.
4. Facilities & Resources	Training facilities, coaching staff quality, sports science support.
5. Historical Success	Track record over time producing professionals, not just recent success.
6. Youth National Team Players	How many players from academy get called into U.S. Youth National Teams?

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The Complete Ranking: All 29 MLS Academies

Tier 1: Elite Academies (Consistent Professional Production)

Location: Frisco, TX
Founded: 1998 (one of oldest MLS academies)
Notable Homegrown Players: Weston McKennie (Juventus), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Reggie Cannon, Tanner Tessmann, Jesus Ferreira

What Makes Them Special: FC Dallas prioritizes development over win-now tactics. They've sold young players to Europe rather than holding them in MLS, proving their commitment to player development above team success.

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Location: Chester, PA
Founded: 2009
Notable Homegrown Players: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Mark McKenzie (Genk), Paxten Aaronson (Eintracht Frankfurt), Quinn Sullivan, Jack McGlynn

What Makes Them Special: Philadelphia has perfected the "selling club" model—develop young talent, give them first-team minutes early, sell to Europe for profit, repeat. This benefits players by accelerating their development timelines.

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Location: Harrison, NJ & Whippany, NJ
Founded: 2007
Notable Homegrown Players: Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Matt Miazga (numerous clubs), Sean Davis, John Tolkin, Caden Clark

What Makes Them Special: Being part of the Red Bull global network provides unique opportunities. Players can move within the Red Bull system (New York → Leipzig → Salzburg) without traditional transfer complications.

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More Elite Tier Academies:

Rank	Academy	Key Strengths	Notable Players
4	Seattle Sounders	DeAndre Yedlin pathway, strong development culture, excellent facilities	Yedlin, Jordan Morris, Obed Vargas, Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez
5	LA Galaxy	Historic success, SoCal talent pool, professional environment	Efrain Alvarez, Julián Araujo, Jonathan Pérez
6	Atlanta United	Rapid rise, aggressive investment, strong technical development	Andrew Carleton, George Bello (sold to Arminia Bielefeld), Caleb Wiley
7	Vancouver Whitecaps	Alphonso Davies pipeline, Canadian youth talent, strong development record	Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich €13.5M), Sam Adekugbe, Russell Teibert

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Tier 2: Strong Development Academies

Rank	Academy	Strengths & Notable Players
8	Columbus Crew	Strengths: Strong Midwest pipeline, good facilities Players: Aiden Morris, Isaiah Parente, Patrick Schulte
9	Portland Timbers	Strengths: Pacific Northwest talent, T2 integration Players: Darlington Nagbe (early), George Fochive, Eryk Williamson
10	Real Salt Lake	Strengths: Strong technical development, RSL has academy focus Players: Luis Gil, Justen Glad, Brooks Lennon
11	Sporting Kansas City	Strengths: Longest-running academy (1999), excellent facilities Players: Matt Besler, Gianluca Busio (sold to Venezia), Erik Palmer-Brown
12	New England Revolution	Strengths: Northeast talent pool, improving rapidly Players: DeJuan Jones, Damian Rivera, Diego Fagundez (early homegrown)
13	Toronto FC	Strengths: Canadian pipeline, strong youth system Players: Jonathan Osorio, Jayden Nelson, Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty
14	Orlando City	Strengths: Florida talent pool, growing investment Players: Chris Mueller, Jack Lynn, Wilfredo Rivera
15	D.C. United	Strengths: DMV talent-rich area, improving facilities Players: Bill Hamid, Andy Najar (early), Moses Nyeman

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Tier 3: Developing Academies (Newer or Rebuilding)

Rank	Academy	Status & Notes
16	LAFC	Status: New club (2018) but investing heavily Note: Too early for full evaluation, strong SoCal talent access
17	Minnesota United	Status: Joined MLS 2017, building academy infrastructure Note: Strong youth soccer state, potential for growth
18	CF Montreal	Status: Improved academy recently, Quebec talent pool Players: Ballou Tabla (early), Ismaël Koné
19	Houston Dynamo	Status: Texas talent pool, rebuilding academy after years of decline Players: Teenage Hadebe, Tyler Pasher
20	San Jose Earthquakes	Status: Historic club, academy has had ups and downs Players: Nick Lima, Tommy Thompson, JT Marcinkowski
21	Charlotte FC	Status: Expansion team (2022), building from scratch Note: Strong Carolinas talent pool, early but promising signs
22	Colorado Rapids	Status: Inconsistent investment historically, improving Players: Cole Bassett, Sam Vines (sold to Belgium)
23	Nashville SC	Status: Expansion team (2020), very early in academy development Note: Building youth infrastructure, Tennessee talent pool moderate
24	Inter Miami	Status: New club (2020), South Florida talent access Note: Too new to judge, strong amateur/youth soccer in area
25	Austin FC	Status: Expansion (2021), Texas talent, very early Note: Building academy, benefits from strong Texas youth soccer
26	FC Cincinnati	Status: Joined MLS 2019, developing academy Note: Ohio/Kentucky talent pool, establishing identity
27	St. Louis City SC	Status: Expansion (2023), brand new academy Note: Strong St. Louis youth soccer history, very early to evaluate
28	Chicago Fire	Status: Historic club but academy has struggled Note: Chicago talent pool underutilized, needs restructuring
29	New York City FC	Status: Joined 2015, City Football Group resources, building Note: NYC talent pool, CFG global network should help but slow start

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Geographic Distribution: Where Are the Best Academies?

Region	Elite Academies	Advantage
Texas	FC Dallas (#1), Houston (#19), Austin (#25)	Massive youth soccer participation, year-round weather, soccer culture
Northeast Corridor	Philadelphia (#2), New York Red Bulls (#3), New England (#12), D.C. United (#15), NYCFC (#29)	Dense population, strong club soccer tradition, proximity to international markets
Pacific Northwest	Seattle (#4), Vancouver (#7), Portland (#9)	Soccer-first culture, strong community support, good youth development
California	LA Galaxy (#5), LAFC (#16), San Jose (#20)	Largest talent pool in U.S., Latino soccer culture, weather
Southeast	Atlanta (#6), Orlando (#14), Charlotte (#21), Nashville (#23), Inter Miami (#24)	Growing region for soccer, improving youth infrastructure

Geography Matters: Players in Texas, California, or the Northeast corridor have access to multiple MLS academies within driving distance. Players in Montana, Wyoming, or rural areas face relocation decisions to access MLS academies.

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MLS NEXT: The Competition Platform for Elite Youth Soccer

MLS NEXT is the youth soccer competition platform that replaced U.S. Soccer Development Academy in 2020. It's where MLS academies compete, along with top non-MLS clubs.

MLS NEXT Structure:

Component	Description
Tier 1: MLS Academies	All 29 MLS academies compete in MLS NEXT. Fully funded by clubs.
Tier 2: MLS NEXT Pro Clubs	High-level non-MLS clubs (St. Louis Scott Gallagher, Weston FC, Solar SC, etc.)
Tier 3: Regional Elite Clubs	Strong regional clubs aspiring to MLS NEXT Pro level
Playoffs	Top teams from each age group compete for MLS NEXT Cup
Showcase Events	MLS NEXT Flex events bring scouts, college coaches, international scouts

How MLS NEXT Differs from Old Development Academy:

Factor	Development Academy (defunct)	MLS NEXT
High School Soccer	❌ Banned (couldn't play HS soccer)	✅ League allows it (club/academy-dependent)
Flexibility	Strict year-round commitment	More flexibility, club-dependent
Girls Pathway	Limited girls' pathway	Robust girls' pathway (via GA partnership)
Number of Clubs	~200 clubs	~600 clubs (more access)
MLS Involvement	Secondary	MLS-operated and branded

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MLS NEXT vs ECNL: The Honest Comparison

This is the question every competitive soccer family asks: MLS NEXT or ECNL?

The truth is more nuanced than "one is better." They serve slightly different purposes and attract different types of players.

The Complete Comparison:

Factor	MLS NEXT	ECNL (Elite Clubs National League)
Primary Focus	Professional player development	College recruiting pathway
Founded	2020	2009 (Boys: 2017)
Number of Clubs	~600 clubs	~150 member clubs (more selective)
Cost (Non-Academy)	$3,000-$5,000/year	$3,500-$6,000/year
Competition Level	Elite (MLS academies set ceiling)	Elite (top college-focused talent)
College Exposure	Good (showcases attract coaches)	Excellent (specifically designed for college recruiting)
Pro Scouting	Excellent (MLS scouts present)	Moderate (pro scouts less common)
High School Soccer	League allows; MLS academies rarely permit due to training demands	Allowed
Schedule Intensity	High (year-round, extensive travel)	High (year-round, extensive travel)
Geographic Coverage	National (some regions sparse)	National (more concentrated in certain areas)
Girls Pathway	Growing rapidly (via GA partnership)	Well-established (ECNL started with girls in 2009)
Boys Pathway	Well-established (MLS academies)	Newer (Boys ECNL started 2017)

Who Chooses MLS NEXT vs ECNL?

Player Profile	Better Fit
Elite talent pursuing pro contract	MLS NEXT (especially if in MLS academy)
Why: MLS scouts present at every game, direct pathway to professional ranks
Top player focused on D1 college scholarship	ECNL
Why: ECNL showcases specifically designed for college coaches, better college exposure
Very high level but lives far from MLS academy	Depends on local club quality in each league
Why: Choose the stronger LOCAL club, not the league. A strong ECNL club beats weak MLS NEXT club and vice versa.
Girls player (current landscape)	Slight edge to ECNL (more established girls pathway)
Why: ECNL has longer history with girls' development, but MLS NEXT girls is growing fast

Can Players Switch Between MLS NEXT and ECNL?

Yes, but it's complicated. Some clubs offer both MLS NEXT and ECNL teams. Players can switch between leagues by changing clubs. However:

• Switching clubs mid-season is difficult (registration windows, team chemistry)
• MLS academies won't let players "dual roster" with ECNL clubs
• Top clubs in either league have tryouts once/year—you can't just join anytime
• Switching leagues repeatedly can hurt development (inconsistent coaching, systems)

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Alternative Scouting Pathways: ID2 and ODP

While attending MLS academy tryouts is the most direct path, many players get discovered through alternative scouting events. Two of the most important are US Club Soccer's id2 Program and US Youth Soccer's Olympic Development Program (ODP).

These programs serve as major identification pipelines for MLS academies, youth national teams, and college programs. MLS scouts regularly attend these events specifically to find talent they might have missed in their local markets.

US Club Soccer id2 Program: Where MLS Scouts Go to Find Talent

The id2 (Identification and Development) Program is one of the most prestigious youth soccer identification programs in the United States. Established in 2004, it's an Olympic Development Program approved by both the United States Olympic Committee and U.S. Soccer Federation.

How the id2 Program Works:

Stage	Process
Player Recommendation	Club coaches recommend players, or players can be nominated by anyone in soccer community
Initial Scouting	US Club Soccer scouts evaluate players in their club training/competition environment
id2 Training Camps	Selected players invited to regional training camps (all expenses paid)
Evaluation	Coaches and scouts evaluate technique, tactics, athleticism, mentality
National Selection	Top performers selected for National Selection programming and international tours
MLS/National Team Tracking	MLS scouts and U.S. Soccer staff track top performers for academy/YNT inclusion

id2 All-Time Best XI: Proof of Elite Talent Pipeline

The id2 program has produced some of the best American soccer talent of the last two decades. Here's the id2 All-Time Best XI (2025 update), showing the caliber of players who come through this program:

This roster includes players now competing in MLS, European leagues, and the U.S. National Team—all identified through the id2 system.

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US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (ODP)

The US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (ODP) is another major talent identification pathway. Like id2, it's designed to identify, train, and develop elite young players (U-13 to U-17) for potential U.S. National Teams.

MLS academies also recruit heavily from ODP. While ODP isn't as directly connected to professional clubs as id2, MLS scouts attend ODP regional and national events looking for talent.

How ODP Works:

Level	Process
1. State Tryouts	Each state holds annual tryouts for U-13 to U-17 age groups. Open to all players in the state.
2. District Training	Initial training sessions at district level with licensed coaches.
3. State Teams	Selected players form state teams for training camps and inter-state competition.
4. Regional Events	State teams compete at regional events (4 regions: East, South, Midwest, West). MLS scouts attend.
5. National Pool	Top regional performers selected for national pool consideration and potential U.S. Youth National Team camps.

ODP Evaluation Criteria (Four Pillars):

Pillar	What Coaches Evaluate
1. Technique	Ball control, passing accuracy, shooting, dribbling, first touch quality
2. Tactics	Game sense, positioning, decision-making, understanding of team shape and strategy
3. Fitness	Athletic ability, speed, endurance, strength, agility, recovery between efforts
4. Psychological	Attitude, work ethic, coachability, mental toughness, leadership, competitive spirit

id2 vs ODP: Which Should You Pursue?

Factor	id2 Program	ODP
Cost	$0 (all expenses covered)	Varies by state ($200-$1,500/year)
Selection Process	Recommendation-based + scouting	Open tryouts in each state
MLS Scout Presence	Very High (MLS scouts at every event)	Moderate (scouts at regional/national events)
Time Commitment	Minimal (few events per year)	Moderate (state training + regional events)
Professional Focus	High (US Club Soccer partners with MLS)	Moderate (more National Team focused)
College Exposure	Good	Excellent (especially at regional events)

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The Reality of Getting Into an MLS Academy

Every family wants to know: How do you get into an MLS academy?

The process is more challenging and selective than most families realize.

The Path to MLS Academy Selection:

Age Range	What to Do
Ages 6-10	Build technical foundation through consistent home training
Why: MLS academies don't recruit this young. Focus on skill development, not exposure.
Ages 11-12	Play for strongest local club team, attend MLS academy ID camps/events
Why: U13 is often first year of academy selection. Get on radar through camps.
Age 13 (U13 Tryouts)	Attend open tryouts, bring highlight video, demonstrate high technical ability
Why: This is the PRIMARY recruitment age. Largest intake happens at U13.
Ages 14-16	Continue with strong club, excel in MLS NEXT/ECNL, get noticed at showcases
Why: Academies fill roster gaps with standout players. Harder to break in but possible.
Ages 17-19	Extremely difficult to break into academy. Focus on college or international opportunities.
Why: Rosters mostly set by this age. Occasional late bloomers get noticed, but rare.

What MLS Academy Scouts Look For:

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The Cost of Non-MLS Academy MLS NEXT Clubs

While MLS academies are fully funded, most MLS NEXT clubs charge families. Here's the real cost breakdown:

Cost Category	Annual Amount
Club Fees	$2,500-$4,500
Travel (hotels, gas, flights)	$2,000-$5,000
Tournaments	$500-$1,500
Uniforms & Equipment	$300-$600
Private Training (optional)	$1,000-$3,000
Showcases/ID Camps	$500-$1,500

Total Annual Cost: $7,000-$16,000 for elite non-MLS academy club

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The Professional Pathway: What Happens After Academy?

Understanding the pathway from academy to professional is crucial for setting realistic expectations.

The Numbers (Realistic Reality Check):

Stage	Approximate Numbers
U13 Academy Players (All MLS Clubs)	~500 players
U19 Academy Players (All MLS Clubs)	~400 players (some drop out/cut)
Sign MLS Homegrown Contract	~40-60 per year
Become MLS Regulars (Starters)	~15-25 per year
Transfer to Major European League	~3-8 per year

Success Rate: Of all U13 academy players, roughly 10-15% sign professional contracts, and only 3-5% become professional starters.

Alternative Pathways When Academy Doesn't Work Out:

Remember: The goal isn't just to make an academy—it's to develop as a player and person. Many players who don't "make it" professionally still have incredible experiences, earn college scholarships, and develop skills (discipline, teamwork, resilience) that serve them their entire lives.

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Final Thoughts: Is MLS Academy/MLS NEXT Right for Your Family?

The MLS academy system and MLS NEXT platform offer the highest level of youth soccer development in the United States. But they're not right for every player or family.

The Bottom Line: MLS academies produce the best American players. But success in soccer—and in life—doesn't require an MLS academy. Thousands of players have meaningful soccer careers, earn college scholarships, and develop into successful adults without ever touching an MLS academy.

Focus on consistent skill development, finding the right level for your child's current ability, and enjoying the journey. If MLS academy happens, great. If not, there are many paths to success.

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